Decanter (99)

And so from P1 methuselah to P2, which for Geoffroy ‘goes beyond Champagne’. P2, he continues, must be ‘deeper, richer, longer…better than P1' - otherwise why release it? Well, they haven't yet, although it's pencilled in for later in 2019. Here we have drive, vinosity and incredible length. The sweet and savoury balance indulges with a seductive embrace. Gustav Klimt in a glass maybe. Outstanding.

Jancis Robinson (20)

Magnum. Pungent and composed with massive energy. Lovely edge of freshness. Long and nuanced. So clean and pure. Long and lovely!

Decanter (98)

The Dom Perignon Rosé 2006 is simply amazing. Notes of raspberry, spices and mint jump from the glass in a seductive combination. The texture in the mouth is of precise, crystalline, laser-like tannins in an opulent style. A very great success in a vintage that was not always easy in Champagne.

Decanter (98)

The Dom Perignon Rosé 2006 is simply amazing. Notes of raspberry, spices and mint jump from the glass in a seductive combination. The texture in the mouth is of precise, crystalline, laser-like tannins in an opulent style. A very great success in a vintage that was not always easy in Champagne.

James Suckling (99)

This shows incredible depth of fruit with strawberry, cherry and phenolics. Full-bodied and layered with an incredible, three-dimensional element to the wine. This is so transparent and dynamic with dark fruit, yet it remains vivid and bright. Refined and precise, it goes on and on. Really savory, fresh and incredibly pinot-noir-like. What a wine. 13 years of maturation in the bottle. So drinkable now, but it will age for many years ahead.

James Suckling (98)

This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest percentage of pinot noir ever. 15 years on the lees in bottle. 62% pinot noir and 38% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

Vinous (97+)

The 2006 Dom Pérignon Rosé is every bit as captivating as it was last year, maybe even more so. At times powerful, but in other moments finessed, the 2006 constantly changes in the glass, revealing a different shade of its personality with every taste. Perhaps most importantly, the 2006 seems to have gained a level of precision and pure sophistication it did not show last year, when it was quite a bit less put together. Back then, the 2006 was a wine of tremendous potential; today that potential is starting to be realized. Quite simply, the 2006 Dom Pérignon Rosé is a magical Champagne. Don’t miss it.

Revel in the opulent luxury of the Duval Leroy Femme de Champagne Grand Cru 1996, an exquisite vintage meticulously crafted to perfection. The heart of the Champagne region bares this exceptional Grand Cru, a testament to Duval Leroy's outstanding savoir-faire, widely acknowledged for their uncompromising dedication to quality. This vintage employs 100% Chardonnay grapes, harvested from the finest vineyards, encapsulating the terroir's quintessence. Duval Leroy's painstaking viticulture and traditional métodos champenoises see this cuvée age for more than twenty years in their cellar, imparting unparalleled complexity.

The Duval Leroy Femme de Champagne Grand Cru 1996 emanates elegance, offering a majestic bouquet of fresh orchard blossoms and honeyed brioche. This medium-to-full bodied Champagne boasts a rich, refined palate; fresh citrus notes adorned with hints of toast and truffle. Its shine doesn't fade with a lingering, mineral-laced finish. A coveted gem amongst aficionados, the Duval Leroy Femme de Champagne Grand Cru 1996 is a sublime testament to Champagne's grandeur.

Wine Advocate (98+)

A blend of the 2015 and 2014 vintages, Egly's emblematic NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères was disgorged this year with only one gram per liter dosage. Bursting with aromas of mirabelle plum, Anjou pear and green apple mingled with notions of freshly baked bread, honeycomb and praline, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, its satiny attack segueing into a deep, layered mid-palate of striking texture and concentration. Concluding with a long, intensely saline finish, it's another brilliant wine from a great producer at the top of his form.

Jancis Robinson (17)

A bit of apple peel. Very ‘natural’. Very pure and unadorned. All top Montagne de Reims villages. Extreme champagne. Very dry finish. Lots of potential.

Vinous (96)

The NV Extra Brut V.P. Grand Cru (Vieillissement Prolongé) is a rich, textured Champagne that expresses all of the natural intensity gained after having spent eight years on its lees. Baked apple tart, pastry, spice, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes infuse the V.P. with tremendous flavor complexity to fill out its broad, expansive frame. It is a wine of remarkable depth and vinous intensity. In a word: superb. Disgorged: July, 2020.

Decanter (93)

Gosset is the oldest house in Champagne, and is a favourite among wine trade insiders. This non-vintage cuvée is redolent with the aromas of mellow red apple fruit. It has beautifully subtle autolysis on the palate, with creamy apple and plum flavours, and a great precision at the same time.

Vinous (97)

The MV 16 is bright, fresh and airy and yet has the natural richness of Aÿ that Giraud fans have come to expect. Apricot, tangerine oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, chamomile and dried flowers all meld together in a creamy, ample Champagne that hits all the right notes. A Champagne of towering presence, the MV 16 is classy, understated and undeniably alluring. It is also one of the most impressive Champagnes I have ever tasted from Claude Giraud. Even in the early going, the 70% new oak is so well-integrated. This set of new releases is full of highlights, but the MV 16 is especially fine. Don't miss it! Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: December 11, 2020.

Emanating from France's Champagne region, J. de Telmont Heritage Brut Vintage 1975 1975 is an exceptional wine steeped in tradition and exclusivity. Assembled by leading producer J. de Telmont, this vintage Brut is a lavish expression of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, harvested from the producer's oldest vineyards. Distinguished by a meticulous vinification process that includes manual harvesting and gentle pressing, each bottle encapsulates the skill and patience of its creators. The 1975 vintage boasts a rich, golden hue, enlivened by delicate bubbles and a complex bouquet.

The exceptional maturity of J. de Telmont Heritage Brut Vintage 1975 reveals deep, layered flavours, underscored by smooth effervescence and lingering hints of honey and dried fruit. With its rarity and supreme quality, it is an unmissable jewel in the crown of any serious collector or fine wine connoisseur. J. de Telmont's dedication to artistry and excellence shines through each sip of this remarkable champagne.

Wine Advocate (92)

Based on the 2020 vintage and disgorged in December 2022, the latest rendition of Sélèque's NV Extra Brut Solessence reveals aromas of white flowers, ripe citrus fruit, peach and almond paste. Medium-bodied, ample and pillowy, it's chalky and precise, with a bright spine of acidity and a pure, mineral finish. It's a terrific introduction to the domaine's range.

James Suckling (100)

The much-anticipated 2002 has impeccable detail and depth with a lot of chalky, stony and flinty elements on the nose as well as a very fresh edge. The nose is very complex and wound up tight but presents itself as very integrated and compressed. There are aromas of lemon rind, lime juice and a lime custard all at once, complemented in turn by a super-restrained hazelnut-like edge. Undertones of brown mushrooms, chalky minerals and lemon leaf. The palate has a core of sizzlingly intense, concentrated chardonnay framed whitin a powerful phenolic structure that will underpin the future of this Champagne. Flawlessly fresh and as perfect as it gets. Give this time as it needs to settle: best from 2020 and then for another decade beyond.

James Suckling (100)

This is very structured and framed with an almost red sensibility. Very phenolic. Full-bodied in a tightly wound ball with so much going on. Very pinot like. Mineral and stone. Shell and stone. Iodine. Vinous. The bubbles just fade into the finish of the wine, which goes on for minutes. Turns to toffee and salted caramel with time in the glass. One for the cellar. Great length. Blend of 53% pinot noir, 25% pinot meunier, 22% chardonnay. Disgorged in beginning of 2020. Drink or hold.

Vinous (92+)

I must admit, Krug's 2000 Clos d'Ambonnay remains a mystery. The first bottle I tasted, in March, at Krug, was utterly spectacular. Rich, creamy and ample on the palate, the 2000 was captivating from start to finish. Two thousand is the first vintage made entirely by current Chef de Caves Eric Lebel. My impression at the time was that Lebel had given his Ambonnay softer, gentler contours than the 1995, 1996 and 1998, all which were much more austere when first released. But then I tasted the 2000 several times in the US, where it has so far been less impressive. I am hoping issues with shipping for a handful of samples will turn out to be the root cause, and that the 'real' Ambonnay will be closer to what I tasted at Krug in March. If that turns out to be the case the 2000 will be due for a major upgrade.

James Suckling (96)

Wonderful precision and depth right away on the nose, with dried pineapple, light apricot and hints of flint and slate. Medium-bodied palate that’s firm, bright and linear. Vivid,driven acidity adds focus and perfection. Dried lemon and a wonderful, creamy texture with a mineral undertone. Extremely long, almost endless. Sophistication here. Drink or hold.

Vinous (97)

A stellar Champagne, Krug"s NV Grande Cuvée 164ème Édition, (2008 base vintage) is painfully tight. The 164 is a fabulous wine, but readers should not fall into the temptation of opening a bottle anytime soon. Crushed rocks, slate, mint, sage and white pepper lend striking aromatic brightness. The 164 is just as compelling as it has always been. Even so, it needs time to be at its very best. The 164 is a blend based on 2008, with reserve wines back to 1990. Krug ID: 316031. (Originally published in May 2021)

Vinous (97)

A stellar Champagne, Krug"s NV Grande Cuvée 164ème Édition, (2008 base vintage) is painfully tight. The 164 is a fabulous wine, but readers should not fall into the temptation of opening a bottle anytime soon. Crushed rocks, slate, mint, sage and white pepper lend striking aromatic brightness. The 164 is just as compelling as it has always been. Even so, it needs time to be at its very best. The 164 is a blend based on 2008, with reserve wines back to 1990. Krug ID: 316031. (Originally published in May 2021)

Wine Advocate (97)

I'm increasingly convinced that Pierre Larmandier produced Champagne's wines of the vintage this year, and the 2011 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant only compounds that suspicion. Unfurling in the glass with a deep and complex nose of citrus zest, crisp yellow apples, smoke, warm bread, mandarin oil and oyster shell, it's full-bodied and fleshy but incisive, with huge concentration, bright acids and a long, intensely saline finish. Totally transcending the reputation of 2011, it has many of the textural properties of a great white Burgundy, married with the cut and chalky grip of Champagne's Côte de Blancs.

Vinous (92)

The 2015 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Terre de Vertus 1er Cru is a brilliant wine that combines textural richness and energy. The aromatics are a bit muted today, but that should not be an issue in a few months. All the 2015 needs is time. The Terre de Vertus is a blend of parcels in the Barillers and Faucherests lieux-dits. As always, the Terre de Vertus is vinified in neutral oak of various sizes. Bottled with no dosage. Disgorged: April, 2021.

Vinous (92)

The 2015 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Terre de Vertus 1er Cru is a brilliant wine that combines textural richness and energy. The aromatics are a bit muted today, but that should not be an issue in a few months. All the 2015 needs is time. The Terre de Vertus is a blend of parcels in the Barillers and Faucherests lieux-dits. As always, the Terre de Vertus is vinified in neutral oak of various sizes. Bottled with no dosage. Disgorged: April, 2021.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Very vibrant, a bit of a brisk wake-up call. A cold shower of a wine! But very good zestiness. Very, very clean. Lovely aperitif, lots of character. Not that long though.

Vinous (94)

Roederer's 2009 Brut Nature is compelling. Powerful, ample and creamy, the 2009 has more than enough natural richness and texture to carry the wine with no dosage. The Brut Nature emerges from vineyards in Cumieres, where the wines are naturally tense, which creates a fascinating push and pull with the ripeness of 2009 and no dosage approach. Of all the grand marque Chefs de Caves, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon is the closest to his vineyards and the most artisan in spirit. That comes through loud and clear in this fabulous Champagne. The Brut Nature is also the single best value within the Roederer range today.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

The Roederer style has become drier as the fruit has become riper and this finely balanced Champagne is an excellent example. Taut and textured, with great freshness allied to the mineral and fruit tones, this wine just hints at tannins as it moves towards maturity. Drink from 2022.

Decanter (97)

Softly shimmering straw gold, green tints, with a delicate filigree dancing at will around the glass. The nose is gently authoritative; spring flowers garlanding stone fruit, a hint of hawthorn maybe, then lemongrass. The palate has encyclopaedic depth, the intricacies of the Perpetual Reserve weaving their early magic; almond, sloe, gingerbread and apples; the finish has a pleasing twist of bitterness, courtesy the small percentage of oak-aged reserve wine. Maybe the dosage can come down even further, such is the engaging and subtle complexity harnessed elsewhere?